Felipe Franco

Franco absorbed the early pressure, then took over for his first UFC win. He found his range on the feet and used those entries to put Rodrigues on the canvas and control position in the first. In the second a sharp right hand backed Rodrigues up, Franco clinched and took mount, and the ground-and-pound that followed ended it at 1:40.

Key moments

• Weathered Rodrigues's opening pressure before finding his range on the feet.
• Used striking entries to secure takedowns and hold position in round one.
• Backed Rodrigues up with a right hand in the second, took mount, and finished with ground-and-pound at 1:40.

Franco beat veteran Nilton Eduardo Silva dos Santos at JuaFight 1 when the bout was stopped at the end of the first round as a retirement. It is useful context because the win came against a far more experienced opponent on a Juazeiro main-card slot and still ended inside five minutes.

Key moments

• Won by first-round retirement at the 5:00 mark.
• The fight took place on the JuaFight 1 main card at Juá Garden Shopping in Juazeiro, Bahia.
• It was booked at heavyweight on an eight-fight professional card.
• Tiago Jacaré was listed as the referee for the bout.

Franco submitted Lucas da Paixao Nascimento with a first-round rear-naked choke at Demo Fight 19 and continued stacking finishes in quick succession.

Key moments

• Finished Nascimento with a rear-naked choke at 2:30 of round one.
• The bout was a heavyweight preliminary at Demo Fight 19.
• It took place at Parque Shopping Bahia in Lauro de Freitas, Bahia, Brazil.

Franco stopped Mylksom Miranda in 90 seconds on the Demo Fight 18 main card and kept the pattern of immediate violence intact. The quick finish matters because it came in Salvador under the same Demo Fight banner where several of his early wins were built, reinforcing that he consistently overwhelmed local opposition before the Contender Series jump.

Key moments

• Won by first-round KO/TKO at 1:30.
• The fight was part of the Demo Fight 18 main card in Salvador, Bahia.
• It was contested at heavyweight at CT de Boxe e Artes Marciais.
• Tiago Jacaré was listed as the referee.

The result is one of the clearer examples of him working a little longer for the finish without needing the fight to leave the first round.

Key moments

• Stopped Dias late in the first round on the Candeias MMA Experience main card.
• The event was held at Ginásio de Esportes de Candeias in Candeias, Bahia, Brazil.
• Frank Novais was listed as the referee for the bout.